


Rumination

by Sarita1046



Series: Avenging Naboo [4]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Family Dinners, Humor, Jealousy, Telepathic Sex (mentioned)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-07
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-13 05:02:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18025181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarita1046/pseuds/Sarita1046
Summary: Once the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker return to Naboo, Senator Padmé Amidala rethinks her situation with representative Jar Jar Binks.





	Rumination

**Author's Note:**

> Musical inspiration: "Pareshanura" by Padmalatha, Vishnu Priya
> 
> Crunch=Fight/battle

While her encounters with Jar Jar didn’t cease after that last meeting following Cordé’s death, Padmé was forced to consider the harsh reality of what had transpired between them and the risk such a dynamic posed to the Gungan-Naboo alliance, particularly in light of Captain Typho’s suspicious glances.

What’s more, the secret weighed on her, unable to disclose to anyone save Sola whom had found out unintentionally. Even Sabé and Dormé had to stay in the dark, a burden which forced Padmé to ease into a regretful distancing from her close friends. 

And so, their encounters remained few and far between. There was never much talking, but it took less than a year for Padmé to begin seeing other men as well, even before Anakin's return. Having gotten engaged some months back, Sola still glanced furtively at Padmé during family dinners whenever their parents asked about the senator’s love life. Surely, seeing Naboo men would quell any urge her sister had to let anything spill. One would think that Sola, now busy with a child of her own, would finally butt out of things.

Padmé had to admit, physical intimacy with Naboo men took some getting used to. Though she would never admit it to herself, at the back of her mind she knew it would be difficult to quit sneaking off to see Jar Jar. Not unless she were somehow to decide to marry at some point. In truth, she’d be content to remain independent for life were it not for her desire to have children.

Needless to say, they were all more careful after that. Padmé decided it best to keep her encounters with Jar Jar to a maximum of once per week. Mostly down by the swamp and at her apartment…

Until the opportunity came to use the bath jets once again. As luck would have it, Sola and Rem had also taken this chance for a break from their lives as new parents at the serene country home, while the Naberries attended the opera in Theed. 

That included tonight. Sola and Rem agreed to stay in Sola’s room, while Padmé and Jar Jar enjoyed the bath. And surprisingly, no shortage of conversation.

“I’ve always loved the opportunity to make a difference in politics.” Padmé mused, playing her fingertips along Jar Jar’s shoulder, as she floated in the water over his submerged lap. “Though it’s no easy feat working among so many species. Everyone wants such different things sometimes.”

As always, the Gungan contented in playing with her hair. How those locks seemed to fascinate him. She’d ventured to stroke his haillu a couple times, though figured it best to just relax, as he seemed to enjoy pleasing her just as much as being pleased – if not more. 

“Misa thinks everyone wanten da same thing.” Jar Jar replied softly. “Water, security, no war…some races like da Elders dat came before yousa, deysa liken crunch, but most no.”

Padmé sighed. “If only more people would be honest about what their people need, rather than attributing all complications to the fault of others.”

Suddenly tense, Padmé wished she hadn’t alluded to the topic of colonization – an uncomfortable subject she tried to avoid at all costs with Jar Jar. Especially after he had just shown her such bliss. 

“Yousa not supporten crunch.” Jar Jar answered, his stroking of her hair never faltering. “Da Gungans are grateful.”

Just then, Padmé’s communicator buzzed from beside the bath ledge. Hauling herself over to retrieve the microcomm, she froze upon seeing the text that appeared on the small screen.

_Sola: Mother and father just rang. Opera cancelled. They will be home soon from Theed.”_

Soon? How soon?

“My parents are coming!” Padmé sputtered, clambering out of the bath and grabbing her robe. “We have to go. Or no, I’ll go first. Just stay for a moment, while I check.”

The Gungan stayed silent, as Padmé dried her hair and pulled on her light blue summer evening gown.

She had just made it to the bottom of the stairs in time to come face to face with Sola and Rem, both looking wildly disturbed as her parents entered moments later. So then, soon truly meant soon.

“Surprise!” Jobal remarked sarcastically. “The exterior opera was canceled due to rain, and evidently, they figured it acceptable not to tell us until it was due to begin.”

“We’ll be having dinner here.” Ruwee followed up, already heading for the kitchen. “It’s no matter, I’ve had the help thaw out a cured Pelikki bird anyway. At least it gives me an excuse to cook once more.”

Padmé blanched. While she would normally jump at the chance to partake in one of her father’s feasts, the Gungan currently upstairs in their washroom couldn’t be ignored. As her father proceeded to take her under his arm and start chatting about their shared love of watercolor, she smiled to play along and dearly hoped Jar Jar would simply wait for her to retrieve him when possible. Thank the stars the servants had gone home for the evening. 

Once at the dinner table, the elder Naberries soon noticed that their level of interest in the roast before them greatly outweighed that of their daughters and son-in-law.

“Is there something wrong with the Pelikki? Did I overcook again?” Ruwee pressed, already shaking his head.

With one of her characteristic furtive side glances at Padmé, Sola may as well have blurted out that they had a stranger upstairs. 

“Not at all, dad.” Padmé grinned reassuringly at him, lightly nabbing her sister’s calf with her ankle to persuade Sola from that nervous expression. “Sola and I snacked a lot earlier, before we knew you’d be home early.”

“Me too, practically an early dinner.” Rem chimed in from Sola’s other side, his own smile looking more akin to a grimace. 

“So, Sola,” Jobal ventured, “any interesting stories from the clinic?”

Looking relieved she had something to distract herself from nervously twirling her utensils, Sola blurted, “Yes, a slaver from Tattooine tried to demand free treatment for a blaster wound, self-inflicted during a bar fight…we didn’t treat him.” She finished, following a prompting look from Padmé.

About to sigh her first semi-relaxed breath of the evening, Padmé took a sip of water and nearly aspirated when the shadow of someone descending the stairwell graced her line of vision. Sure enough, as Jar Jar’s face peeked around the corner, the Naboo senator lost her grip on her glass which soon spilled water all down her front.

Ruwee, who faced opposite Padmé and Sola, noticed his daughter’s gaze and went to glance behind him at the stairs, followed by Jobal…

Just as Padmé felt she might pass out, Rem erupted in a markedly shrill shriek. Alarmed by the outburst, both elder Naberries glanced perplexedly at their son-in-law. 

“Forgive me,” the young man managed with a lopsided grin, “I thought I saw a bee.”

Finally letting out that sigh of relief, Padmé dabbed at her front as Jar Jar silently crept out the back door into the night.

 

That was the last time Padmé ever met with Jar Jar in her family home. When the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi returned with Anakin Skywalker, she ceased even inviting the Gungan to her apartment – particularly once Anakin was assigned to protect her. She simply couldn’t have the Jedi Council discovering her intimate affairs. Not to mention, she hardly knew how Anakin in particular would react. Soon enough, Anakin became the only man with whom she spent time alone.

Ani – well, he certainly had grown. And she couldn’t deny he was attractive. Though still, she couldn’t ignore the unease she felt simmering beneath his surface. She knew Jedi were forbidden to love and yet, it almost made her uncomfortable the way he kept pursuing her affections. He certainly seemed set on persuading her to join him for a picnic by the waterfalls near her cottage. He was different from the Gungan - yet showed that same innocence that had initially attracted her to Jar Jar.

She still communicated with Jar Jar, though their meetings fewer, particularly after his overzealous thanks for her appointing him to represent her in the senate while in full earshot of Anakin.

Evidently, the Gungan felt similarly, as during one particular Jedi mission to the planet Bardotta, Padmé learned through the pipeline that Queen Julia had arranged for ongoing meetings with Jar Jar. She had to wonder if he’d a penchant for queens. Or women in power. 

Though when she’d approached him about it, she received the mere response. “No harm in loving a queen. Disa not like with yousa, Senatah. Julia only wanten misa mind, no need for da body. She’s callen that primitive. But misa thinken Anakin want disa with yousa. And yous parents like him.”

So suddenly, Padmé was primitive? She had stormed off shortly after. And was that bitterness she had detected in his tone? As if she _owed_ the Gungan anything. Sure, he had saved her life on that one mission by spitting on her to seal her damaged oxygen helmet, in typical Jar Jar fashion - but she simply couldn’t stop to consider her feelings over all they’d been through together. Such would surely turn her down a path she couldn’t follow - one that led to a childless future in which constituents viewed her as the senator who partook in interspecies dalliances. From there, her thoughts took a dark turn - to the alien children whom she had attempted and failed to help adapt to their off-world relocations. Surely, an interspecies offspring - if such a thing were even possible - would not survive for long. 

Suddenly, Anakin’s offer to have a nice, human picnic didn’t seem so frivolous after all.


End file.
